Samsung keep their flagship phones updated for two years from their announcement. Different regions/carriers get them at differing times. Just flick through the firmware section of sammobile or updato.com to get the idea.

Sony seems to do things a bit differently

Good luck if you buy something cheap and nasty, you'll be waiting forever for an update.

1eStar: Samsung keep their flagship phones updated for two years from their announcement. Different regions/carriers get them at differing times. Just flick through the firmware section of sammobile or updato.com to get the idea.

Sony seems to do things a bit differently

Good luck if you buy something cheap and nasty, you'll be waiting forever for an update.

It's interesting that you should compare Sony to Samsung - because IMHO as a long time Sony user they beat Samsung hands down when it comes to updates particularly the monthly security updates.

Sony have provided updates for a minimum of two years for their hardware, and provide Android's monthly security fixes typically within a couple of weeks after their release. The problem the OP is facing is the identical issue Samsung users have - because major updates need to be approved by carriers before they can be released by Sony or Samsung then delays do happen.

When I had a Z5 I flashed it from the Hong Kong firmware to the generic Australian firmware because it let me use NFC payments and the AU generic gets updates almost immediately. A discussion with the OP has already occurred in another thread where they couldn't work out how to do this without unlocking the boot loader which certainly shouldn't be necessary when staying with Sony firmware but it was so long ago that I can't really off any tips.

Have contacted Spark via chat and voice call, they insist they don't release the update and have given me a number for Sony NZ as Spark think it must be a fault with my phone as the help desk googled that yes 7.1 has been released by Sony for the Xperia Z5
Groundhog day anyone ??
Seems to me there's not much communication between departments, ironic

ubernoob: Have contacted Spark via chat and voice call, they insist they don't release the update and have given me a number for Sony NZ as Spark think it must be a fault with my phone as the help desk googled that yes 7.1 has been released by Sony for the Xperia Z5 Groundhog day anyone ?? Seems to me there's not much communication between departments, ironic

@ubernoob For a start the front line staff member only would of done a basic Google search and guessing they did not narrow it down to the Spark retailed Z5

You can't expect front line staff to know this type of information as it's not shared with them and have you tired using the official Sony update tool on a PC / MAC?

timmmay: In general, you shouldn't expect any updates to an Android phone after you buy it.

Unless you're using stock Android on a Google Nexus or Motorola device. Our Motorola Moto G4s and G2s which run stock Android get regular updates, presumably direct from Google. I was the same with our Nexus tablets although they've had nothing for some time. All are running a later version of Android than when purchased with the two Moto G4s now on Android 7.

The stock Android and the accompanying updates is one reason we stick with the Motorola Moto range.

timmmay: In general, you shouldn't expect any updates to an Android phone after you buy it.

Unless you're using stock Android on a Google Nexus or Motorola device. Our Motorola Moto G4s and G2s which run stock Android get regular updates, presumably direct from Google. I was the same with our Nexus tablets although they've had nothing for some time. All are running a later version of Android than when purchased with the two Moto G4s now on Android 7.

The stock Android and the accompanying updates is one reason we stick with the Motorola Moto range.

Sony are pretty good with updates providing major updates for 2 years which is identical to Google's publicised policy for the Nexus range. Most major updates have hit Sony phones within a pretty quick timeframe and the monthly Android security updates normally occur within a few weeks of release.

Sony's near Stock Android and the speed they get updates to market is one of the reasons why I love Sony phones.

Update from Sony support NZ. Apparently using my phone imei number there are no more updates planned for my phone. He was very diplomatic and knew later international updates were released for the Z5 but was certain there would be no more updates for ISP branded phones
So there you go.